Police in California shoot rottweiler, caught on video

Police in Hawthorne, California are facing criticism after an officer shot a dog. The incident was caught on video.

It happened last week as officers were handcuffing the dog's owner.

Hawthorne Police say it was self defense because the dog was about to attack.

Several witnesses recorded the incident with their cell phone cameras.

Leon Rosby was involved in a verbal exchange with officers when he put the dog in his car.

The windows were open. When officers started to handcuff Rosby the 2-year old Rottweiler jumped out of the window and charged the officers.

Video of the actual shooting is not shown but you can hear the audio.

You hear multiple shots being fired and witnesses screaming in horror

"He wasn't just a dog, he wasn't just a dog, you know, he lick on my face, lick on my ear." said Rosby.

Rosby says he was on his way home from the dog park when he noticed the police barricades. He was videotaping police with his cell phone.

You hear his car radio and then he yells out to police. Rosby told reporters he was trying to make sure police weren't violating anyone's civil rights.

The 52 year old has six complaints against Hawthorne Police and has even filed a lawsuit alleging that one officer broke his rib.

Rosby says that one of the officers named in the lawsuit spotted him.

"And I saw him and he noticed me, he pointed at me." said Rosby. That's when Rosby said two officers started walking toward him so he put his dog in the car.

You see him turn around and let officers handcuff him. That's when Max jumped out of the car. "That dog would not have lunged at you if you wouldn't have approached him like that, I know it, I know my dog." said Rosby.

Hawthorne Police would not talk on camera but they release this statement.

"The dog lunged and made aggressive movements towards the officer. Fearing that the attacking Rottweiler would imminently bite the officers, one officer fired his duty weapon several times, striking and killing the dog."

Rosby was arrested for Obstruction of Justice for playing loud music, walking a large dog, and getting too close to officers according to police.

The statement said all of that in its entirety distracted officers from their dangerous work.